"He was one of the most romantic figures in Indian history, a lesser warrior but a greater ruler than Alexander. Chandragupta was a young Kshatriya noble exiled from Magadha by the ruling Nanda family, to which he was related. Helped by his subtle Machiavellian adviser, Kautilya Chanakya, the youth organized a small army, overcame the Macedonian garrisons, and declared India free. Then he advanced upon Pataliputra,I capital of the Magadha kingdom, fomented a revolution, seized the throne, and established that Mauryan Dynasty which was to rule Hindustan and Afghanistan for one hundred and thirty-seven years. Subordinating his courage to Kautilya’s unscrupulous wisdom, Chandragupta soon made his government the most powerful then existing in the world. When Megasthenes came to Pataliputra as ambassador from Seleucus Nicator, King of Syria, he was amazed to find a civilization which he described to the incredulous Greeks—still near their zenith—as entirely equal to their own."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Durant, Will (1963). Our Oriental heritage. New York: Simon & Schuster.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Maurya Empire
6 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Maurya Empire →
Related Quotes
"Indians would certainly try to understand the fact that for more than a hundred years in the late fourth, third and e…"
"Megasthenes describes Chandragupta’s capital, Pataliputra, as nine miles in length and almost two miles in width. The…"
"The government made no pretense to democracy, and was probably the most efficient that India has ever had. Akbar, gre…"
"“In short,” says Havell, “Pataliputra in the fourth century B.C. seems to have been a thoroughly well-organized city,…"
"The date for Chandragupta Maurya was determined by correlating him with the Sanclrocottus mentioned in Greek sources.…"
"Among the Kîkatas what do thy cattle? They pour no milky draught, they heat no caldron. Bring thou to us the wealth o…"
"It was at the time of this bounty of Sultán Bahlol [Lodi], that the grandfather of Sher Sháh, by name Ibráhím Khán Sú…"
"…There are three groups in Hindustan which are known for the qualities of fanaticism and zeal. So long as these three…"
"Your solemn letter has reached (me)… At the ‘hidden level’ (occult word), the downfall of the Marhatahs and the Jats …"
"Maratha documents show that one of their main objectives was the liberation of the sacred cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi…"